On Saturday, Prime Minister Donald Tusk visited the Polish-Belarusian border, where he met with Border defender officers, soldiers and police. In the company of Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz and head of the Ministry of abroad Affairs Tomasz Siemoniak, Tusk stressed that Poland effectively halts illegal attempts to cross the border, and anyone who participates in the smuggling of people is part of a “very dirty business”.
98% of attempts to illegally cross the border held by Polish services
During the press conference, the Prime Minister informed that Polish border services are highly effective in their mission. "Today I received a study confirming that 98% of attempts to illegally cross the border are being stopped," Tusk said. He besides added that he had information on the "organising-political patronage of president Lukashenko's administration on this matter" and on "Russian commitment".
– We besides know about the subsequent detentions of persons active in smuggling," said the Prime Minister, stressing that Polish services are able to effectively counter these illegal activities.
Dirty business of human trafficking
Tusk left no uncertainty as to the nature of the activity involving migrants. “Every individual active in migrant smuggling is part of a very dirty business,” he said. The Prime Minister besides praised soldiers, border guards and police for their determination and effectiveness in stopping illegal border crossings.
“The terms of service of border officers have improved importantly and increasingly modern equipment supports their activities,” added Tusk, pointing to investments in border infrastructure that aim to increase its tightness.
Mobilising Europe to fight together
The Prime Minister stressed that Poland is not alone in the fight against illegal border crossing. "We are mobilising Europe to treat this border as a common duty," he said. "We have further confirmation that both the Shield of the East, and so the military dimension of border protection, and the protection of the border against illegal transitions, is simply a common European work – NATO-Wski, but above all European.
Mr Tusk pointed out that these measures active financing an increasingly advanced infrastructure protecting the border. – We spent PLN 2 billion 700 million to defend the border. You see fresh installations, fresh cameras, thanks to these investments, this border is becoming tighter and tighter – he said.
New rules will prevent abuse of asylum law
The Prime Minister besides announced the introduction of fresh rules to prevent the usage of asylum law for illegal border crossing. – I would like this image to scope everyone in Europe that there are 11,000 officers here. This is our fight together," he stressed.
Tusk pointed out that Polish services are able to effectively counter illegal attempts to cross the border, but support for Europe as a full is needed. “This is not just a problem for Poland, it is simply a problem for Europe,” he said.
Summary
Prime Minister Donald Tusk's visit to the border with Belarus was an chance to emphasise the effectiveness of Polish border services and to draw attention to the global nature of the problem of illegal smuggling of people. The Prime Minister expressed his appreciation for the work of the officers and announced further investments in border infrastructure, as well as the introduction of fresh rules to make it hard to abuse asylum law.
“Everyone who acts for the illegal smuggling of people is part of a very dirty business,” Tusk concluded, calling for a joint mobilisation of Europe in the fight against this phenomenon.
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Tusk on the border with Belarus: “Smuggling people is simply a dirty business. We are mobilising Europe to fight together"
